Dog Green. Omaha Beach, 6th June 1944

[Jim R]

I agree with Tim. It does look better although I thought mk 1 was good.

[outrunner]

Great work as usual Ron.

Andy.

[Guest]

Very true 570, if something bugs you that's the only way .
Esp love the way you left the sand bar when you realised it was too far up the beach . That double certainly adds to the general look .
Yours Earnest Winkle .

[spanner570]

Thanks Fellas. :thumb2:

453. I knew when I started the original waves they might be too high. More in keeping with a 'Surfer dude's' favourite beach! On second look, no good carrying on, they had to go.

Once the initial humps have dried, I can start to form the waves proper with more filler. Then think about the painting before I add a bit of silicone......

Thanks for the positive comments. All very well received and appreciated.

Cheers.
Ron

[Mini Me]

Wot!! No surfin'....:tears-of-joy:

[Tim Marlow]

Wot!! No surfin'....:tears-of-joy:

Charlie don’t surf, and neither does Ron

[minitnkr]

Lt. Colonel Kilgore rules.

[spanner570]

Yet again a very late thank you and apology for my delay in responding to your posts, chaps.

Tim. In the '70's/ '80's I was into surfing big time. I used to cast my own surf boards 'blocks' out of 2 part polyurethane foam. Then shaped them before coating the things in fibreglass.
I well remember getting a good bollocking from the missus for nicking one of her psychedelic tea towels to glass into the board.......Now, I stick to leisurely kayaking.

....Sorry, I digress.
I've started to add some colour to the sea and shore line.

As usual, I don't waste my 'good' paints, but use cheap acrylics from pound shops and the like.
I'm working on getting a gradual colour change for the slightly deeper waters to the shallows. Then onto the line of unexpected deep water which claimed so many lives on that day.

Here's the progress thus far......

The modelled red sand of Omaha beach is just that - Ordinary red building sand sprinkled onto the base.















I kept the paints wet so they kind'a ran into each other, thus avoiding any paint edges between colours.


The next stage will be to darken those inshore deep strips of water.......etc!
Once I'm happy with the colours, I can then add silicone and highlights.

Cheers.
Ron

[Mini Me]

Nice transitional tones there 570 :thumb2: keep it coming Sir!

[Guest]

Very neat 570.

The empty landing craft looks very poignant.

[Tim Marlow]

Charlie don’t surf, and neither does Ron

Apparently Ron did, so it’s only Charlie wot don’t………

[Lee W]

Oops uh ah um... yes I'm late but I've managed to squeeze in at the back, home made periscope to be able to see.
Ron, wow mate, love the build so far, very educational as always!
Great pics of the Normandy area, love that place, not just for the history but it's picturesque as well, we were in Brittany last year, I reckon I should bore swmbo... I mean treat swmbo to another trip there, she'll love it! She won't have a f@#ing choice! :tears-of-joy: :tears-of-joy: :tears-of-joy:

[spanner570]

Great posts chaps. Thanks for the support and nice comments. :thumb2:

I'm struggling with the thing a bit. (Have done from the off) I don't really like to see violence modelled, but I'm too far advanced now to scrap the diorama. So I'll persevere. I suppose there is not much difference between modelling death and destruction, as making the things that can cause it.

Anyway, here is the next stage...
I've highlighted the small wave tops in white and added some more general colour, particularly the deep water just after the shallows. Due to the base size constraints I've modelled these as thin bits of water. The real ones can be a football field size and very deep. Imagine trying to run or wade in full kit, in what you think is knee deep water only to disappear under water, down a 6 to 8ft deep bank of sand and fighting to get your gear off whilst getting shot at!






Next, a bit more paint. Then silicone and, if all looks o.k., some varnish.

After that I can start to add the beach obstacles and crank up the action.

Cheers,
Ron

[Guest]

That thought of disappearing into a deep section of water as you come ashore under fire is frightening, god knows what those blokes thinking 570 .
Love the movement you've created, genuinely looks real, well done .

[Mini Me]

First rate work on this 570.....one can almost smell the salt in the air and hear the waves crashing on the beach.... :thumb2: :thumb2: